What Happens to Electronic Waste

May 25, 2018

So you’ve just got a brand new phone or laptop. It’s an exciting time as you now have some of the best technology right at your fingertips, but what about your old phone or laptop? What happens to your piece of technology that you no longer have any use for. Once you no longer need an electronic device, it becomes known as electronic waste or e-waste. So now that you have an old phone or device, what happens to electronic waste once you have no more need of it? Instead of having e-waste end up in landfills, it’s essential to use an e-waste recycling company.

Little by little more and more people are learning about the importance of not sending e-waste into the landfill. This is because when e-waste ends up in landfills, a trace amount of toxic elements can end up in the soil, water supplies, and even in the air, we breathe. Additionally, many of the materials that are used to make electronic devices are not biodegradable. As a response to this, it is starting to become more popular to recycle your e-waste. When you recycle e-waste, precious metals such as gold and silver that are found in electronic devices can be re-used, which lessens the burden on the earth’s natural resources. Additionally, when machines are recycled, all the parts that can be reused are, and no parts of the device end up in landfills.

Not all e-waste recycling companies are the same, however. Some companies sell the materials of the device abroad. This is because companies can make money from selling the scavenged metals in the devices. These metals are often toxic though, and workers abroad are not adequately protected. To ensure that your devices are being properly recycled, you’ll want to find a company that is certified. This means the company meets strict standards that ensure environmental responsibility, safe practices, and safe work environments for employees.